Steam-radiator return valve



Jan. 21, 1930.

.1. A. HOLMBERG STEAM RADIATOR RETURN VALVE Filed Sept. 27, 1928 Hm T wi bmw PATENT OFFICE JOHN AUqUs'r nonmnnno, or nmnsnoao, ansas srEAiu-mm'roa RETURN VALVE Application filed September 27,1928; Serial No. 308,759.

The inventionrelates to return valves for the radiators of 'steam heatingsystems, and

itaims' to provide a new and improved'construction which will act automatically'to per-.

Init escape of all air, will'then, act to trap the steam, and at proper intervals will permit discharge oi the water'of'condensation."

. A further aim is to provlde anew and im-' proved valve which willact'as an equalizer,

v 1 causing equal distributi'onof steam to all radiators; will equalize the pressure in the steam and return lines, enabling the condensation to fiow freely back to the, boiler without the use of a pumping device; will be self-cleaning as there are no places in which.

7 sediment and scale may lodge, allowing them to wash down through the return line; will permit blowing out of the entire system when ever advisable; may be easily inspected from time to time; may have its movable parts quickly andeasily removed for repair or replacement, and reinserted with equal speed vand ease. r

lVith the foregoing in. view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawing.

Fig. is avertical sectional view of the improved valve in condition for exhausting air from a radiator.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to 1 but showing the manner in which the valve opens topermit the condensation to discharge.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line '33 of Fig. 1

' The drawing above briefly described illustrates thepreferred form of construction and' while such construction will be herein specifically explained, it is to be understood that within thescope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

The valve embodies a cylindrical casing 5 having an inlet 6 in one .of its vertical end walls 7, the-other endwall S-being threaded in place or otherwise secured for easy re.- moval. -At the bottom ofthe casing 5, is an outlet 9.. This outlet is adapted for connection with the return line of the heating system, and theinlet 6is of course connected to theoutlet ofthe radiator, an appropriate connection '10 being shown for this purpose.

'Theinner endof the inlet 6 is flared or. otherwise increased in size as 'shown at 1'1, and around this enlarged inner end is a valve seat 12 whichis formed integrall with the c'asing end. 7, in the present disc osureQ A flap valve13 is pivotally hung in thecasing 5 for co-operation with the valve seat 12. This flap valve is in the 'form of a substantially diamond-shaped plate 13 having an integral tongue 14 atits upper end. This tongue is bent to form a hinge knuckle 15, is then ex:

tended laterally to provideone arm 16 of a yoke, is then bent downwardly to form a body. portion '17 of the yoke and is finally bent i nwardly and downwardly at 18, providing the other yoke arm, which arm is riveted or otherwise secured at 19 to the lower end of the-plate 13. Interposed between the yoke body 17 and theplate 13, is'a wafer-type thermostat 20 secured by appropriate means 2122, to said yoke body 17. This thermov stat carries avalve 23 which,'under circumstances hereinafter described, closes an air port 24 which is formed through the plate 13.

A resilient frame is provided within the casing 5 and is preferably in the formof a transversely split, self-expanding, spring metal ring 25 having an inwardly offset portion 26 around which the hinge knuckle 15 passes to pivotally support the flap valve 13 and the parts carried thereby. Around the inner side of the peripheral wall of the casing 5, is a groove 27 in whichthe ring 25 is snapped; the ring being thus held properly ,in place by its own resiliency and serving to effectively support the valve unit. This construction also permits rotary adjustment of this valve unit when itis initially. installed, so that it will hang freely with its pivotal support directly in vertical alinement with its center of mass. Removal of the casing end 8 permits springs of the ring 25 from the groove. 27, allowing the entire valve unit to be removed for cleaning, repairing or replacement, and either the old repaired unit or the replacement unit may be inserted with equal speed and ease. i I When the valve is connected with the radi- Thentoo, there would be much more danger ator and return line and the-steam i's admitted to the radiator, air isdriven from the latter through the air port 24- into the casing and as soon as a sufficient quantity of water of condensation has collected, the outward force of this water due to its weight, causes opening of the valve 13-as seen in Fig. 2, permitting the water to draininto the casing 5 and pass from the latter to the return line. In connection-with this travel of condensation, it-may be explained that the inner end 11 of the inlet 6 is enlarged to expose a greater sur-' face of the valve 13 to the water accumulating in the inlet and also to provide a construction in which there is no liability of any sediment or scale lodging, said construction being such that any foreign matter which is held in check by the valve 13 while the latter is closed,

will immediately wash out upon opening of not accumulate directly in said'inletto open said valve. If the inlet 6 were not enlarged at 11 over the internal diameter of the pipe connection, sufl'icient weight of water could the valve 13, but would have to back up to someextent in the radiator to attain this end.

. of scale and sediment lodging in the inlet.

In other heating systems, using What is called. a thermostatic trap on the radiator, both the air and condensation must pass through a small opening, and when all of the radiators are hot, all of the-thermostats have tightly closed until enough condensa-' tion has accumulated in the radiators to cool m a self'clos ing W P e ap Y j.- I

pivotally hungin saidcas ng for closing 531d inlet to prevent entrance ofsteain into the the thermostats and permit slight opening thereof for passage of condensation. method holds. some/water away from the boiler. It also creates a lower pressure in the return line than in the steam line and boiler. Consequently, some kind of pumping device I is necessary to return the condensation to the boiler and keep the returns from gettingwaterrlogged. Furthermore, this type of system cannot be blown out clean. even if the thermostats are removed, as'the openings controlled by these thermostats are of insuflicient size. With the present valve, however, the

fiap will always open sufliciently to keep approximately the same'pressure in the return and the steam lines, allowing the condensation to run freely back to the boiler without the useof a pump. Then too, when the systern is cleaned by blowing it out, the flap valves of-the various radiators will open and provide large free passages through which scaleand the like may'pass. Thisalone is quite an advantageous feature, as-heating systems will accumulate a great" dealof s'edi 'ment and scale and if such systems are not occasionally cleaned will become sluggish and ineflicient.

. On account of the excellent resultsobtainable from the details disclosed, .theyare preferably followed as above stated. However,

attention is again invited to the =fact that within the scope of the invention as variations may be made. 1 p

Iclaim:-

1. A steam radiator return-valve comprisclaimed,

ing'a casing having an inlet in one wall and a constantly open-outlet at its. bottom, a selfclosingfwater-opened valve mounted in said casing for closing said inlet to prevent entrance of steam into the casing from the radiator, said valve being inwardlymovable to openposition under the pressure of water of -'condensation reaching said inlet from the radiator, said valve being formed with an air port registering withsaid inlet to permit entrance of air prior to arrival of steamlat said inlet,an.air valve for closing said port, and .asteam-Operated thermostat for closing 1 said air valve, both said air valve and said thermostat being mounted in their entirety upon the said self-closing water-opened valve, whereby this valve isunaffected by the action of said thermostat.-

pose more area of said' self-closing wateropened valve to the Water and toprov ide a' formation. in which sediment will not lodge'.

ing a casing having an inlet-in'onej vertical 2.. A structure as specified in claim 1;

3. A steam radiator returnvalve compris- 'wall and a constantlyopen outlet at-its bot-' casing from the radiator, said flap valve 'be-.

ing inwardly swing-able toopen'position under the pressure of water of condensation. reaching said inlet from the radiator,said.

flap valve being formed with an airport registering with said inlettov permit entrance of air into the casing prior 'to'arrival of steam at said inlet, an air valve for 'clo'sirigsaid port, and a steam-operated thermostat for closing said air valve, both said air valve and said thermostat beingmounted in their tirety upon said flap valve.

4:. A steam radiator return valve compri'sing a casing haying aninlet in a vertical wall and a valve seat on said wall around saidin seat,'a yoke having its arms secured to said plate, the arm-connecting portion of said yoke being inwardly spaced from said plate,

a wafer-type thermostat between said valve plate and said arm-connecting portion of said yoke and secured to the latter, and an air valve carried by said thermostat and closable against the inner side of said valve plate, the lower side of said casing being provided with a constantly open outlet.

5. In a valve, a casing, a spring metal frame within said casing and held in contact therewith by its own resiliency, and a valve member mounted in its entirety upon said frame.

6. In a valve, atcylindrical casing having an internal groove in its continuous wall, a transversely split spring metal ring snapped removably in said groove, and a valvemember mounted in its entirety upon said ring.

7. In a valve, acylindrical casing, a trans versely split spring metal ring contacting with the inner side of the continuous side Wall of said casing and held against the same by its own resiliency, said ring having an inwardly ofiset portion, a hinge knuckle sur.-

rounding'said off-set portion, and a valve member carried by said knuckle.

8. In a valve, a spring-metal self-expansible frame, for reception in a casing to be held therein by its own resiliency, and a valve member carried by said frame.

9. In a valve, a transversely split self-expansible spring metal ring for reception in a casing to be held therein by its own resiliency said ring having an inwardly offset portion, a hinge knuckle surrounding said ofiset portion, and a valve member carried by said knuckle.

10. In a valve, a valve plate having an opening an elongated tongue integral with the edge of said plate said tongue being bent to form a hinge knuckle for the plate and further bent to provide a yoke, the body por tion of the latter being spaced from said plate, means securing the free end of said tongue to said plate, a thermostat carried by said yoke, and a valve on said thermostat cooperablewith said opening.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto 'affixed my signature.

JOHN AUGUST HOLMBERG. 

